If when I leave, I’m not partly deaf and very sweaty, it’s not a show. Miike Snow and their opening band Penguin Prison got the job done. But there is more to them than sweat and beats. Miike Snow is not just dance music. It’s feeling something profound and contemplating it with your body. Shake your ass, pump your fist, twirl your friend, whatever, it doesn’t matter how your body says it. Just say it. The music will guide you. Miike Snow makes music for perspective and ridiculousness. You can hear it in their songs. They appear to be built on a singular concept that is then nurtured by philosophy, electro-pop, poetry, humor, lyrics, beats and some tight production, until it comes together to create pleasure and depth. Pleasure and depth is what they left pulsating on the floor of The Electric Factory last night.

The guys came out and did a short intro in black hoodies and gold masks. It seemed unnatural and forced, but they jumped back in mask-less, locking in the crowd with “Wave” and “Cult Logic”. The audience just ate it up. And by audience, I mean: Holy Hipster Haven, Batman! Skinny jeans and all, the floor was a wave of synth-pop energy. Andrew Wyatt went back and forth from commanding leader to, equal participant, at times in front of the crowd, howling, long signature hair twisting in his face and sometimes sitting in the back at the keyboards almost in complete darkness guiding anonymously with his lyrics.

There did seem to be some sound issues, which a couple of times had me wondering; can music that is best loud be too loud? I think maybe in this case, yes. A slight turn of the knob could have cut out some distortion. But you got to give the people what they want (including me) and we all were rewarded with ringing eardrums.

A great combination of the latest album Happy To You and their previous self titled, and deeply loved album, kept the pack satisfied and energized. The crowd pleasers were “Paddling Out,” Black and Blue” and “Burial.”

“Sylvia” sounded amazing, sending melancholy romance down my spine. And their live version of “Black Tin Box” was actually really likeable. The album track is deplorable, but they aced it on stage.

Wyatt wrapped it up by beating senselessly on his synthesizer as they closed their set with “Devils Work.”  They returned closing their encore with “Animal,” sending the crowd into a frenzy, knowing it was their last taste for the night, they milked every last drop out of it.

The set, less than an hour, felt short and a bit rushed. The performance played like shorter versions of the albums. I would have liked something unexpected, a Depeche Mode remix perhaps? But I was thoroughly exhausted at the end so I guess I got what I asked for. Thanks Miike!

Penguin Prison (a.k.a. Chris Glover) was a pleasant surprise at the Factory. I was worried that his super glossy sound would be too clean for a likely offbeat audience. But the skeptical audience soon found its grove and embraced the NYC electronica. Penguin Prison reminds me a lot of The Virgins, with just a little too much production.

The set was danceable and loud. The songs memorable, light and catchy, pretty much everything you want from your pop. Glover definitely left his mark and closed his energetic set with his latest single “Multi-Millionaire” and announcing another Philly show May 17. Check them out.

Get ready to dance and sweat. See you there!

Our favorite European alt-pop band, Miike Snow are brining their new perfectly produced synth-pop album to the Electric Factory.

Penguin Prison, is bringing his quintessential New York electronica.

This is going to be a dance-your-sweaty-ass-off kinda party! Bring it people. 

Mayer Hawthorne & The Country @ Union Transfer 8 p.m. doors open. Show @ 9

Tobacco and Crom Truise @ The Church Show @ 8

 Massimo Pulcini

Saint Patty’s, with all of its fun and partying, was the perfect day for Shorty Boy-Boy to release his newest 7”, Candy Man/Smoking Tea. And fresh from his first trip to SXSW in Austin, Texas, the local musician and his band were ready to rock out with a flurry of short and sweet indie pop jangles that had the Johnny Brenda’s crowd on their feet, stomping the night away.

Shorty Boy-Boy or, Josh Pannepacker, a down-to-earth dude with scruffy blonde hair, always has that same pleasant smile on his face. Whether it’s everyday life or on stage, Pannepacker is all about having a good time — something that shines clearly in his music. With the focus being on the fun, the band’s brand of catchy-garage-rock mixed with pop charm is nothing short of infectiously danceable.

Shorty Boy-Boy’s set was driving throughout. “Dolphins”, a dreamy number literally about dolphins swimming in the ocean, featured a tidal wave of riffing rock n’ roll that was torrential enough to make your head nod and your feet bop, but didn’t go so far to drown you in sonic bliss. Later on, an assortment of percussion instruments (and one very fine Dora the Explorer toy guitar) were handed out to the crowd in a crate before the group played a slower jam, “I Don’t Want A Job,” prompting the entire crowd to clang along drunkenly with their maracas, tambourines, and shakers.

One of the songs off the new 7”, Smoking Tea, which they performed was in a category all its own. Complete with neon clad, shutter shade wearing, on-stage dancers, all of whom had a coordinated dance number to boot, the song was a celebration in itself. A true party song at heart, an ambush of balloons were set on the crowd during the jam, with the strobe light sparkle keeping sure that everyone was feeling at least a little loose and tipsy throughout the set’s final stretch.

Shorty Boy-Boy’s trademark “party rock” won’t have you LMFAO-ing all night, but it’s punchy drums, driving guitar licks and hooky lyrics will definitely have you shakin’ what your mama gave you.

After the show, Pannepacker elaborated on the whole party aspect of his show.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more than to play for people who like to have a good time and dance. It’s just too cool. It’s just how we like to do it”

Pannepacker also described the Candy Man/Smoking Tea 7” that the whole show revolved around. “It’s just got this hot railroad track stomp to it. You can just put in your earphones and kick all around the city.”

And that’s just what the crowd did, romping their Saint Patty’s night away to the party that is Shorty Boy-Boy.

tune-yArds, a.k.a. Merrill Garbus’ second album WHOKILL, is what some call “experimental indie.” I once heard a friend describe it as “clown music”  I guess suggesting that the melody would work well with bumbling painted faces, chaotically packing themselves into tiny, yellow cars.  That couldn’t be further from the truth. While it’s difficult to describe the type of music that Garbus creates you can hear its origins in Afro-pop, folk, indie, rock, hip-hop, R&B, dance and even some yodeling for good measure.

While this may sound like sloppy leftovers-stew, the music is methodically arranged and intentionally planned. Although the melody may keep you guessing, there is a definite system and balance to Garbus’ seemingly frenzied production.

Her lyrics at times are easily interpreted. In the song “My Country,” she says, “When they have nothing/ Why do you have something?” Garbus sees great inequality within our country. Many of Garbus’ songs are political or philosophical.  Violence, sex and self-esteem are especially prominent in her writing. She presents the relationships between these issues, and her struggle to rise above them.

Garbus’ voice is powerful and demands your attention. Behind her androgynous façade and voice, you hear that Garbus is a woman through her lyrics. Her power and strength in the track “Bizness” makes your skin tingle as she builds to her climax shouting demands as she sings. There is a sense of self-confusion in her melancholy lyrics, yet the melody’s tone lends itself more toward freedom, or spiritual growth, through anger. There tends to be a dichotomy between the meanings of the lyrics and the sounds of the music in many of her songs. It is as if releasing her rage into the world through her music allows her to reach an explosive release, and you are with her the entire ride.

On the other side of the spectrum, the track “Wolly Wolly Gong” is a creepy lullaby with puzzling lyrics sung in a soft, haunting manner, “Go to sleep my baby/Sleep deep now before the wolly wolly gong/For your sleep is guard ‘gainst the cold and hard/ A soft shroud of safety in a world gone wrong/‘Cause they will try to arm you/That’s what they do”

Garbus is able to jump back and forth between strength and vulnerability. She is brutally honest with herself, laying it all on the table, leaving nothing to hide. It is spectacular.

In this album she stays true to her lo-fi indie soul, although with the addition of bassist Nate Brenner and engineer Eli Crews, the album is more refined, the edges less rusty than her debut album “BiRd-BrAiNs.”

WHOKILL although deep with meaning makes a hell of a “driving-in-your-car-blasting-it-loud-as-shit,” kind of album. It has strength, empowerment, African dance beats, and sing along, or at times yell along qualities. It inspires movement and makes dancing feel like a natural result of the music.

While the album itself is perfectly capable of standing alone, seeing tune-yArds live is the real treat. Although I wonder if her sudden and growing fame will diminish the type of relationship she has with her audience.

Last summer tune-yArds played Johnny Brenda’s to a packed house. The club is beyond small, but the audience adoring. Garbus came on stage in her socks, a homemade ripped, neon splattered t-shirt, war paint on her face, messy hair and immediately won over her audience with a bit of self-deprecating humor and bit of “I am gonna rock this show for you,” confidence.

While on stage before each song Garbus meticulously records the different sound effects, including sirens, singing notes, simple vocal sounds, drum beats, screams and whispers into her microphone. She then loops or uses pedals to call up which ones she needs as she performs her songs live. It’s really an art form and she pulls it off perfectly, literally never missing a beat. Basically she is her own sound mixer, creating live on the spot recording original sound for every new performance.

This summer tune-yArds will be playing our very own, Root’s Picinic, as well as, indie Mecca, The 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. I imagine it will feel infinitely larger to Garbus who has so far personalized her show for her small, dedicated audiences. Whether or not she will be able to retain the deep connection and demand the patience she requires form her audience, in order to record live in a venue as large as the 9:30 Club is yet to be seen. This tour will be a huge difference from her previous one. On stage, because of the format of her performance, she gives you more of herself than we may be use to seeing. It may seem frightening to be so revealing and demand such patience from a larger audience. However, if her album WHOKILL teaches us anything about Garbus, it’s that she can overcome, and face change and growth head on through her music.

Hello loyal friends and followers. We know how much you have missed us and longed for our return. Well, wipe away those tears cause we are working our way back and will soon be there to guide you through every thing that is cool again.

Life has kicked our asses a bunch this past year, but Nataly and I are hopping back on the vegan saddle to bring you what you so desire. We can’t be held down!

Bear with us as we get our shit together, and we will be bringing you plenty of content shortly.

Love and grease,

Andrea

11-9 The Blow- FUC

11-11 The Morning Benders- FUC

11-12 Maserati- KNT

11-16- Azure Ray/ Tim Fite/ James Husband- JB

11-17- Bear In Heaven-JB

11-21 Terror/ Mindset/ Wrong Answer- BARB

11-26- Kurt Vile and The Violators- JB